Plant Manager

About the role

We are seeking a proven operational leader to take ownership of our infant formula Dryer 3 operations – one of the most technically complex and business‑critical areas on site. This senior leadership role requires deep knowledge of high‑performing dryer plants and the ability to drive people, performance and continuous improvement in a demanding 24/7 environment.

Key responsibilities

• Lead day‑to‑day dryer operations across a large‑scale manufacturing environment.
• Drive operational performance across safety, quality, cost, reliability and output.
• Optimise dryer efficiency, throughput, yield and product quality.
• Develop leadership capability and build a high‑performing operations culture.
• Support and embed Lean Manufacturing, IWS and continuous‑improvement practices.
• Ensure food safety and regulatory standards are maintained at all times.
• Collaborate with engineering and maintenance teams to maximise uptime and plant reliability.
• Identify opportunities for process optimisation, waste reduction and cost improvement.
• Contribute to broader site strategy and operational planning as part of the leadership team.

Required profile

• Experienced manufacturing leader with strong technical expertise in dryer operations.
• Approximately 10 years’ experience in dairy, including infant formula, spray drying or powder manufacturing.
• At least 5 years leading teams in a 24/7 dairy or food manufacturing environment.
• Proven track record of delivering operational improvements and performance outcomes.
• Experience driving Lean, continuous‑improvement or IWS initiatives (preferred).
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to coach, influence and develop teams.
• Proactive, hands‑on leadership style with strong commercial awareness.
• Deep understanding of food safety, HACCP and quality systems.

Required skills

• Dryer operations
• Lean Manufacturing
• IWS (Integrated Work System)
• HACCP
• Food safety compliance
• Process optimisation
• Reliability engineering